Open Invitation for Healthcare at Butler Forum

Please join us for an open forum on healthcare costs and benefits at Butler. Two sessions will be available:

Friday, Sept. 20, 1:30-3 p.m. in Jordan Hall, Room 141

Monday, Sept. 23, 9:30-11 a.m. in Robertson Hall, Johnson Room

The purpose of this forum is to prepare faculty and staff for the 2014 benefits open enrollment period in late October, and to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead as we strive to continue providing high quality health benefits to the Butler community.

As a self-insured organization since 2007, the University pays the actual costs associated with each insurance claim. This approach reduces Butler’s exposure to the rapidly growing cost of private insurance and allows us to benefit from successful cost containment efforts. It also means, however, that the University assumes responsibility for expenses that are higher than anticipated. With healthcare costs at Butler up 28 percent in just the last two years and continuing to trend higher, it is likely that changes to plan design and/or premiums will be required in years to come. We hope that by being transparent about our healthcare costs, we can work together to find the best path forward.

In the upcoming forum, we’ll share more details on our healthcare cost trends and discuss programs/benefits in which Butler has invested to promote wellness and empower better healthcare decisions, including:

CastlightHealth, which lets you compare local medical providers and see personalized cost estimates before you go to the doctor.

Annual physicals and recommended screenings, which are provided with no out-of-pocket costs across all Butler health plans, when using in-network providers.

By utilizing these programs and taking a more proactive role in your health, you can have a significant impact on your health and healthcare costs, regardless of the plan in which you are enrolled. Being more proactive in your healthcare also benefits the entire Butler community by reducing the overall cost of claims and allowing the University to keep benefits strong and premium costs low.